Profile

Vishal joined the School of Dentistry, the University of Leeds in 2016 as a Clinical Associate Professor in Acute Dental Care and Chronic Pain.

He is internationally recognised for his research in pain diagnosis and management and his current focus is on self-management of chronic orofacial pain.

He qualified from the University of Manchester in 1998 with an Honors degree in dentistry and subsequently went on to complete a PhD in Epidemiology in 2006. His research career has been funded by prestigious fellowships: Initially a Wellcome Trust Fellowship in clinical epidemiology which funded his doctoral programme of work in the epidemiology of chronic orofacial pain and latterly a NIHR clinician scientist award during which he translated his doctoral findings into an evidence-based health technology for self-management of chronic orofacial pain.

His current research is progressing implementation of this intervention to improve outcomes for patients with chronic orofacial pain. Previously, he was involved in the international task force for the classification of painful cranial neuropathies and other facial pains: International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3 beta). Cephalalgia 2013; 33(9):774–786. He has been an active member of the orofacial special interest group of the IASP and is a recognized international authority in facial pain research.

Clinically, Vishal is a generalist. He has been a pioneer for career pathways in academic primary dental care and was the first general dental practitioner to be awarded a NIHR Clinician Scientist Award which subsequently led to NIHR Fellowships for junior general dental practitioners. His contribution to academic primary dental care was recognized through award of an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners UK in 2012 at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (Hon FFGDP Ad Eundum)

Vishal also has vast experience in health services research methodologies which has been consolidated by a Masters in Public Health in 2013 and a NIHR Clinical Trials Training Fellowship which he completed in 2014. He has used this experience to undertake a number of research studies to inform common interventions used in primary dental care. Vishal has published some 40+ papers, reviews and book chapters and has supervised academic general dental practitioners (NIHR In-practice Fellows), Masters students and PhD students. He has been a regular speaker at national and international conferences and is a referee for several national and international journals.

Prizes:

International Research Mobilisation Award, University of Leeds, 2018

University of Manchester Staff Social Responsibility and Volunteer of the year award (3rd place), 2012

Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners, 2012

Research groups and institutes

Complex interventions

Translational and clinical research

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4>
<p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk/research-opportunities">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>